Test Program Generator Using Key Enumeration and String Replacement

1. A method for generating a test program, the method comprising: receiving a first seed file and a first configuration file; iterating over one or more first enumeration keys in the first configuration file; for each of the one or more first enumeration keys, applying to the first seed file a first rule in the first configuration file keyed to the one or more first enumeration keys, where applying the first rule comprises replacing in the first seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the first rule with a transformation value of the first rule, wherein the first rule is defined in the first configuration file as containing one of the one or more first enumeration keys, the predicate value of the first rule and the transformation value of the first rule; applying to the first seed file a rule in the first configuration file not keyed to the one or more first enumeration keys, where applying the non-keyed rule comprises replacing in the first seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the non-keyed rule with a transformation value of the non-keyed rule, and outputting the modified first seed file as a test program.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a second seed file and a second configuration file; iterating over one or more second enumeration keys in the second configuration file; for each of the one or more second enumeration keys, applying to the second seed file a second rule in the second configuration file keyed to the one or more second enumeration keys, where applying the second rule comprises replacing in the second seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the second rule with a transformation value of the second rule; and outputting the modified second seed file as the first seed file.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predicate value of the non-keyed rule is a first string and the transformation value of the non-keyed rule is an empty string.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predicate value of the first rule is a first string and the transformation value of the first rule is a second string.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein values of the one or more first enumeration keys are grouped into one or more categories and the first rule in the first configuration file is keyed to the one or more first an enumeration keys using the one or more first enumeration keys and the one or more categories.

6. A system comprising: a computer; a test program generator; and a tester configured to receive a test program from the test program generator and test one or more products according to the test program, wherein the test program generator is configured to: receive from a seed file database a first seed file and from a configuration file database a first configuration file; iterate over one or more first enumeration keys in the first configuration file; for each of the one or more first enumeration keys, apply to the first seed file a first rule in the first configuration file keyed to the one or more first enumeration keys, where applying the first rule comprises replacing in the first seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the first rule with a transformation value of the first rule, wherein the first rule is defined in the first configuration file as containing one of the one or more first enumeration keys, the predicate value of the first rule and the transformation value of the first rule; apply to the first seed file a rule in the first configuration file not keyed to the one or more of first enumeration keys, where applying the non-keyed rule comprises replacing in the first seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the non-keyed rule with a transformation value the non-keyed rule; and output to the tester the modified first seed file as the test program.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the test program generator is further configured to: receive from the seed file database a second seed file and from the configuration file database a second configuration file; iterate over one or more second enumeration keys in the second configuration file; for each of the one or more second enumeration keys, apply to the second seed file a second rule in the second configuration file keyed to the one or more second enumeration keys, where applying the second rule comprises replacing in the second seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the second rule with a transformation value of the second rule; and output the modified second seed file to the seed file database as the first seed file.

8. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein at least one of the test program generator and the tester is further configured to store the test program in a test program database for use by the tester.

9. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the predicate value of the non-keyed rule is a first string and the transformation value of the non-keyed rule is an empty string.

10. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the predicate value of the first rule is a first string and the transformation value of the first rule is a second string.

11. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein values of the one or more first enumeration keys are grouped into one or more categories and the first rule in the first configuration file is keyed to the one or more of first enumeration keys using the one or more first enumeration keys and the one or more categories.

12. A non-transitory, computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to generate a test program, by performing the steps of: receiving from a seed file database a first seed file and from a configuration file database a first configuration file; iterating over one or more first enumeration keys in the first configuration file; for each of the one or more first enumeration keys, applying to the first seed file a first rule in the first configuration file keyed to the one or more first enumeration keys, where applying the first rule comprises replacing in the first seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the first rule with a transformation value of the first rule, wherein the first rule is defined in the first configuration file as containing one of the one or more first enumeration keys, the predicate value of the first rule and the transformation value of the first rule; applying to the first seed file a rule in the first configuration file not keyed to the one or more first enumeration keys, wherein applying the non-keyed rule comprises replacing in the first seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the non-keyed rule with a transformation value of the non-keyed rule; and outputting the modified first seed file as a test program.

13. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 12 , wherein the steps further comprise: receiving from the seed file database a second seed file and from the configuration file database a second configuration file; iterating over one or more second enumeration keys in the second configuration file; for each of the one or more second enumeration keys, applying to the second seed file a second rule in the second configuration file keyed to the one or more second enumeration keys, where applying the second rule comprises replacing in the second seed file one or more occurrences of a predicate value of the second rule with a transformation value of the second rule; and outputting the modified second seed file to the seed file database as the first seed file.

14. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 13 , wherein the step of outputting the modified first seed file as a test program comprises storing the test program in a test program database.

15. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 12 , wherein the predicate value of the non-keyed rule is a first string and the transformation value of the non-keyed rule is an empty string.

16. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 12 , wherein the predicate value of the first rule is a first string and the transformation value of the first rule is a second string.

17. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 12 , wherein values of the one or more first enumeration keys are grouped into one or more categories and the first rule in the first configuration file is keyed to the one or more first enumeration keys using the one or more first enumeration keys and the one or more categories.